First proposal of amended rules - please vote

Even though I'm still welcoming suggestions, I thought I'd rewrite the rules and submit them to the community. If a majority of the people that vote feel they are fair, they will become the new forum rules and moderator procedures, with follow up tweaks and amendments if necessary.

If you vote "No", it would be greatly appreciated if you could elaborate and suggest changes to the rules. It's difficult to know what to change when it isn't clear where the problem lies.

NLSC Forum Rules

Welcome to the NBA Live Series Center Forum!

The mission of this Forum is to provide a platform to talk about the NBA Live Series and to form a community amongst NBA Live users. You may discuss each NBA Live title, ask for technical help, announce new sites, leagues and patches and discuss ideas about upcoming NBA Live titles.

There are also some general forums for discussions regarding the real National Basketball Association, sports other than basketball, other video games and other general topics.

There are some rules that need to be followed in order to be a good forum citizen and ensure that we maintain a positive, friendly atmosphere here in the NLSC Forum. Please take the time to read these rules, as frequent rule violations will lead to your account be deactivated or removed.

General Posting Rules

There are a few general rules to observe when posting in the NLSC Forum.

Post topics in the correct area

The Forum is divided into several categories for NBA Live topics. This allows easier searching and prevents certain topics from dominating others, such as patch announcements. We ask that you always try to post a topic in the correct section of the forum. Should you accidently post a topic in the wrong section or are unsure of where a topic belongs, a moderator will move it to the appropriate section.

Please don't post topics about older NBA Lives in the sections dedicated to newer titles in the series. We understand that the older sections don't get as much as attention, but this does disrupt the organisation of topics that we are trying to maintain. Unfortunately, interest in the older titles in the NBA Live series declines as the new games are released.

Breaking this rule will not result in severe action being taken, although if you make a habit of posting in the wrong section the moderators may actively encourage you to try and post in the correct section. For the most part, we will simply move the posts and if need be, post a brief explanation as to why a topic belongs in a particular section of the forum.

Flaming (And why it is unacceptable)

Flaming should not be confused with intense discussion. In-depth discussions are to be expected, especially in the general forums, but flaming is not to be encouraged.

Flaming may be defined as "making insulting criticisms or remarks, as on a computer network, to incite anger". Put simply, flaming involves making personal attacks and directing insults towards other forum members. Such behaviour is unproductive and disruptive to discussion. Flaming will not be tolerated in the NLSC Forum, and will be dealt with by the moderators.

If members involve themselves in flaming, a moderator will ask them to cease and request that they get back on-topic. Should flames start dominating a discussion, the offending posts will be deleted and a firm request to remain on-topic will be posted. Should a flame war break out and the discussion cannot be salvaged, a topic may be locked. If the topic itself is responsible for the flame war, it will be locked and posters will be discouraged from continuing it in a new thread.

Members who make a habit of flaming and causing trouble may be subject to harsher penalties, such as suspension or banning. These measures will only be used in extreme circumstances and when a member is frequently causing trouble while making little or no positive contribution to discussions or the atmosphere of the forum. Please note that we take the liberty to permanently terminate a member's account if they are disturbing the overall atmosphere of the Forum.

Please don't spam

Not every post that you make need be a thought-provoking essay, but we encourage you to post on-topic and avoid making one and two word posts as much as possible. In most cases, if you are taking part in a discussion in the general forums and provide little or no constructive contribution to the discussion, other forum members will either ignore you or request that you post on-topic. However, if it is getting to the point where you are disrupting good discussions, a moderator may politely request that you put a little more thought into your posts.

Please try to avoid going completely off-topic. Sometimes discussions take twists and turns as other points and issues are raised. This is absolutely fine, but please use good judgement.

Also, please avoid bumping up a topic too quickly. It is customary to bump up an urgent or interest topic with a post that simply says "Bump", but please don't do this every hour or every day. We also ask that you use good judgement when resurrecting a topic that hasn't been active for a while. In most cases a gentle reminder will be issued, but as always if it becomes a problem a moderator might be forced to post a polite but firm request to adhere to the rules.

Make constructive comments; behave in a civil manner

The main aim of these rules is to ensure that everyone may post here without feeling harrassed, so that everyone may get the most enjoyment possible out of the Forum.

When commenting on an idea or a newly released patch, please try to be as constructive as possible. If you do not like a patch or see problems that should be fixed, please use constructive criticism and avoid using rude or hurtful remarks. We would like to encourage new patchers to try their hand at making updates, and making fun of other's work does not make for a friendly, helpful atmosphere.

If you have suggestions or complaints regarding the forum, feel free to raise them privately with an NLSC Team Member/Moderator/Admin, or use the NLSC Issues section of the forum. We ask that you approach the matter in a mature, civil manner. Bombarding us with insults and personal attacks is not an appropriate method of appeal or providing us with feedback. We are very much open to feedback, but we would much rather discuss issues in a polite and civil manner.

Follow the moderators' instructions and warnings

The moderators will try to keep order by preventing flame wars and enforcing the rules to the best of their ability. If you have been involved in a flame war or have broken one of the forum rules, we ask that you comply with the requests and heed the warnings of moderators.

Failure to cease behaviour that is in violation of the rules may be met with action such as account suspension, deletion or banning. These are extreme measures that will only be used if a member refuses to show respect for forum leaders and adhere to the rules.

Remember that you do have right of appeal and if you feel that you are being treated unfairly by a moderator, you may speak to them privately to explain your position or raise the issue in NLSC Issues. If you do wish to appeal privately or publically, we again ask that you behave in a civil manner.

Profanity

Profanity is tolerated on the forum, but we ask that you try not use it in excess or unnecessarily. If you direct profanity towards other members, it will be treated as flaming and you will be asked to cease such behaviour.

Specific Rules, Violations & "Do Nots"

Below are some more specific forum rules and procedures.

Do not use racial or ethnic slurs/making fun of nationality

Racism will not be tolerated. While we cannot stop you from holding certain personal racial viewpoints, we ask that you keep these in check when posting on the forums. This kind of behaviour will be considered flaming, and will be dealt with accordingly.

Do not use the forum to post hate speech

We do not want to promote any kind of hate speech or hate propaganda. Again, you are entitled to your own beliefs, but please show common decency when posting in the forums.

Do not post adult links or images

To avoid legal issues and offending members of the forum who may object to such content, we ask that you do not post adult links or images in the forum. Offending posts will be deleted and warnings will be issued. Members who sign up only to distribute adult content will be banned immediately, as they clearly have no interest in participating in the forum.

Do not post/request information or links regarding illegal NBA Live downloads

Out of respect to EA Sports and to avoid legal issues, we do not promote the use of illegal NBA Live downloads such as No CD cracks. We also do not condone the distribution of CD Keys. Topics that request this content will be locked, and a reminder of the rules will be posted. We also ask that you do not discuss other illegal software downloads.

Do not post only to attack another member/incite a flame

This will be considered disturbing the peace, as there is nothing constructive about publically attacking a fellow forum member or attempting to start a flame war. These topics will be locked and warnings will be issued. Frequent troublemakers will be dealt with more severely.

Do not use the Private Messaging system to attack other members

It is much more difficult to moderate private messages as we cannot monitor the contents. Therefore, we must rely on members reporting abuse via private messaging. This will be treated as flaming and warnings will be issued. Continued use of the private messaging system to flame other members will result in private messaging being disabled for the offender's account.

Do not sign up for more than one account

As you may freely change your username, there is no need to register more than one account. Members who sign up for more than one account will have their additional accounts deleted, and will be reminded of this rule.

Do not use your avatar/signature to break the rules

If your avatar and/or signature contains content that violates the forum rules (such as flaming), you will be asked to remove your avatar and/or signature. Refusal to do so will result in the deletion of your avatar and/or signature. Restoring the offending avatar and/or signature will result in harsher measures.

Do not post only negative/derogatory comments

While feedback is welcomed and may certainly have a negative opinion about certain topics, we ask that you make an effort to contribute to the forum. Criticism is welcome, but please do not just post "I hate this forum" or "All of the topics are boring". Suggest what we can do to make this forum better or start a discussion on a topic that interests you. Negative feedback is useful, but flames and insults are not. In order to fix something, we need to know what is wrong and why you are unhappy.

Try not to post a topic that has already been answered several times, or has a dedicated "sticky" thread

Whenever possible, please search for an old topic before asking for a help on a patching issue, bump up old topics to ask for help, or use the provided sticky thread dedicated to an issue. Although we aim to be a helpful community, posting the same answers and guides over and over again does get tiresome. Please make use of the Search feature. If a fellow forum member has the time, they might point you in the direction of an older thread.

Avoid advertising in the forum

Please do not post advertisements all over the forum. If you would like to let everyone know about a new patch that you have created or a new site that you have opened, please use the appropriate Announcements section. You may link to your website in your signature to encourage more traffic. Please refrain from advertising products that are for sale and completely unrelated to NBA Live.

Observe limits on avatar/signature size

Avatars are limited to 90 pixels wide by 90 pixels high, and may only be 30 kb in size. The forum software automatically enforces these restrictions.

Please use common decency when placing images in your signature. We ask that images be no larger than 500 pixels wide by 250 pixels high. Slight latitude will be given (eg 505 wide by 251 high), but no image should be more than 10 pixels wider or 10 pixels higher than the preferred maximum size.

Please consider 56K users. Please only use one image in your signature. If you wish to use an animated .gif in your signature, please ensure that it is no larger than 15 kb.

A final note

Even though moderators and admins will do their best to uphold the rules and treat everybody equally and fairly, please remember that we are only human and do make mistakes. Also remember that frequently breaking the rules and causing trouble will attract our attention, and we will be inclined to watch you more carefully. Above all, remember that you have the right to appeal and raise issues, providing you do so in a polite and civil manner.

That's about it! Thanks for reading, and enjoy your time here at the NLSC Forum!

Moderator Procedure

As a moderator, you have a responsibility to ensure that the forum rules are followed and that any disturbances are taken care of. Here are the rules and procedures for moderating the NLSC Forum (members may also use these as a reference when making appeals):

Follow the forum rules

Set a good example by adhering to the rules that are trying to uphold.

Be fair and avoid bias

It may be difficult to put all bias aside when dealing with members that you are familiar with, but remember that everyone is entitled to make mistakes and receive a second chance.

Use words before actions

Locking topics and punishing members should be a last resort. Encourage members to follow the rules and delete offending posts if necessary. Always try to salvage a discussion rather than putting an end to it.

Do not edit posts

Delete offending posts if necessary, but never change what a member has posted.

Don't forget you're a member of the forum

Even though you have the responsibility of enforcing rules, don't forget to have fun with the forum and involve yourself with discussions. Follow the rules and set a good example, but by all means argue points in a discussion and post opinions on a topic.

The following is a guide for dealing with various forum situations.

Member has posted in the incorrect section

Move the post to the appropriate section. In most cases, it is probably a good idea to post a brief explanation of why the post was moved and/or a reminder of this rule. This is not a serious rule violation, so anything more than a friendly reminder is unnecessary.

Member has posted a topic similar to an existing thread

If a question has already been answered, politely request that the member use the Search function or if you have the time, provide a link to another thread where the question has been answered. Sometimes it may be necessary to delete superfluous topics.

An avatar/signature violates forum rules

Contact the member, explain the violation and politely request that they change their avatar/signature. Allow the member time to make the appropriate change(s). If a member continues to post without changing the offending avatar/signature, continue to request that they adhere to the rules. If the issue cannot be resolved, please inform the forum administrator.

Member is spamming

Encourage members to make a more thoughtful contribution to discussions. Explain that completely off-topic posts can ruin otherwise interesting discussions and irritate other forum members.

Member is sending abusive private messages

Refer the member to the forum administrator so that a warning may be issued and appropriate action may be taken.

Member has posted content banned by the rules

Lock the thread, and post a polite reminder about banned content. If a member continues to post banned content, further warnings should be issued. Should the problem escalate, further action against the member may be in order.

Member has been involved in a flame war

When a member flames, encourage them to get back on-topic and if necessary, delete the offending posts.

Note: For multiple flames, it's easier to use the "Split Topic" feature to break the offending posts away from the main thread to a temporary topic, and then delete them.

It is better to allow the discussion to continue while putting a stop to the flame. Locking a thread should be a last resort if the discussion cannot be salvaged, or the topic itself is the cause of the flame. If the thread needs to be locked, provide an explanation.

If a member continues to cause trouble and refuses to adhere to the forum rules, it may be appropriate to suggest further action be taken.

Member has displayed disrespect for the forum leaders/forum rules

Explain the rules and the reason for enforcing them, and encourage them to explain their position on issues of conflict. Troublemakers may have to be reported to the admin if they are frequently causing problems in the forum.

A final note

Although you have the responsibility to uphold the rules, allow members the freedom to make mistakes and above all, to have fun in an environment that encourages posting and discussion of interesting topics. Remember to have fun yourself, and enforce the rules in a civil, fair manner, leaving harsher action as a last resort.

Well, that's my first idea for change. Let me know what you think, what you would add and what still needs to be changed. I'd also like to hear from the moderators and NLSC Team Members on these proposed amendments too.

How about a "A moderator can't create and force members to post about a certain player in one thread and claim that a poster is going off topic just because he said something about that player in another thread" rule?

As I said in the other thread, I think we can abandon the Kobe Talk thread and go back to having individual topics. However, we just have to use good judgement and try not to post the same thing over and over again.

How about a "A moderator can't create and force members to post about a certain player in one thread and claim that a poster is going off topic just because he said something about that player in another thread" rule?

Don't forget you're a member of the forum

Even though you have the responsibility of enforcing rules, don't forget to have fun with the forum and involve yourself with discussions. Follow the rules and set a good example, but by all means argue points in a discussion and post opinions on a topic.

How about a "A moderator can't create and force members to post about a certain player in one thread and claim that a poster is going off topic just because he said something about that player in another thread" rule?

Don't forget you're a member of the forum

Even though you have the responsibility of enforcing rules, don't forget to have fun with the forum and involve yourself with discussions. Follow the rules and set a good example, but by all means argue points in a discussion and post opinions on a topic.

avoid making one and two word posts as much as possible.

Thats for you Jackal!!!!

Do not sign up for more than one account

As you may freely change your username, there is no need to register more than one account. Members who sign up for more than one account will have their additional accounts deleted, and will be reminded of this rule.

That one too!

Please use common decency when placing images in your signature. We ask that images be no larger than 500 pixels wide by 250 pixels high. Slight latitude will be given (eg 505 wide by 251 high), but no image should be more than 10 pixels wider or 10 pixels higher than the preferred maximum size.

Is there a way to make the forum software enforce that rule?
Because this sig is anoying.

http://www.answerhoop.com/photo/upload/ ... 953990.jpg

(Picture changed to link to make thread easier to read. -EG)

Lol, I couldn't help it. Some moments just don't have words to them.

Oh, I didn't sign up two accounts...a very good friend of mine did & handed me over the password.

Thanks Heido.

Can I be a Moderator?

Why do you want to be a moderator?

Can I be a Moderator?

Another question, who are you?

http://www.answerhoop.com/photo/upload/20044301531953990.jpg

I've saw that huge and annoying sig also today. I PM:ed the guy who had it and said that it was waaaaaay too big (haven't got any respond yet though).

I try as often as possible to PM and tell guys that their sigs are to big (if they are). I think we members should try to help the mods of doing this easy stuff so they can concentrate in more important things .

Like deleting people's post which they don't like even if it doesn't contain any offensive content.

We go a step ahead and again we go a step back with stupid actions such as these.

http://www.answerhoop.com/photo/upload/20044301531953990.jpg

I've saw that huge and annoying sig also today. I PM:ed the guy who had it and said that it was waaaaaay too big (haven't got any respond yet though).

I try as often as possible to PM and tell guys that their sigs are to big (if they are). I think we members should try to help the mods of doing this easy stuff so they can concentrate in more important things .

I pm'd him twice, and on the second time I even resized it for him.

Why do you want to be a moderator?

I'm all about bringing this community together man. There seems to be a need for moderation that is just, fair, and all that good stuff. And as a fellow NBA Liver, and gamer and overall sports nut I feel I am that person. I also relate very well to people, thus I would make an excellent choice.

Another question, who are you?

Dude, I'm just mostly a lurker. Up until now I only had NBA Live 00, so I hung out in the NBA Talk section. I am your worst nightmare, and your best blessing. Depending on how you look at it.

If mods were to added (which I feel is not needed, maybe removing one wouldn't do much harm...) I think the cantidates would be put in a poll and let the community decide.

Thus, let Andrew pick em, like 5 orso, and the one with the most votes becomes mod.

Again, it's not needed...we have enough mods, but in the future, I would like such desicions to be made by Andrew AND us.

Picking mods by oneself could result in some undesired results.

Even Andrew can make mistakes.

If mods were to added (which I feel is not needed, maybe removing one wouldn't do much harm...) I think the cantidates would be put in a poll and let the community decide.

Thus, let Andrew pick em, like 5 orso, and the one with the most votes becomes mod.

Again, it's not needed...we have enough mods, but in the future, I would like such desicions to be made by Andrew AND us.

Picking mods by oneself could result in some undesired results.

Even Andrew can make mistakes.

That maybe a good idea because then the community can't/probally won't be mad with their modding.

Good idea

And people wouldn't turn to Andrew and give him shit.

If mods were to added (which I feel is not needed, maybe removing one wouldn't do much harm...) I think the cantidates would be put in a poll and let the community decide.

Thus, let Andrew pick em, like 5 orso, and the one with the most votes becomes mod.

Again, it's not needed...we have enough mods, but in the future, I would like such desicions to be made by Andrew AND us.

Picking mods by oneself could result in some undesired results.

Even Andrew can make mistakes.

Wow...the NLSC seems like a new form of government...yeah...I would have to agree; let him make the decisions, post candidates, and let US decide who to pick as the new "elected official" (mod) of the NLSC Forums; hey...we could even have debates!

If that's sarcasm, I don't care for it all that much.

If you're being serious...I appreciate the support.

We are members after all, the moderator is modding us...so I think we should have a bit of say in what goes on.

I'll leave it up to Andrew to say if he agrees or disagrees.

Again, there are no mods needed in the near future.

If that's sarcasm, I don't care for it all that much.

If you're being serious...I appreciate the support.

We are members after all, the moderator is modding us...so I think we should have a bit of say in what goes on.

I'll leave it up to Andrew to say if he agrees or disagrees.

Again, there are no mods needed in the near future.

Nope...I'm 100% serious on this one; a great idea indeed...maybe I should throw my name in the ring???
Naww...I'm only 16.

The only problem with voting on a new moderator would be finding 5 suitable candidates. And then there's the fact that the idiots of the group would get all of their friends to come and vote and people would be signing up new accounts.. other then that, I think it's a good idea.

That's why it would be Andrew picking the 5 cantidates, this way he's still got a say + he approves of all of them. (I don't think he'd get one of those types that get all their friends to vote.)

Well...there...nah, nevermind.

i don't really think we need anymore mods in here... (but who cares what i think )

we already have qweet, dahl, and james etc ... they all have the ability to lock posts etc (i think...) ... and they just don't because maybe there wasn't any real need to.... the flaming in general talks is sometimes really not that big a deal... hell, people even become friends after a good flame...

but that's just my small and insignificant opinion...

Why do you want to be a moderator?

I'm all about bringing this community together man. There seems to be a need for moderation that is just, fair, and all that good stuff. And as a fellow NBA Liver, and gamer and overall sports nut I feel I am that person. I also relate very well to people, thus I would make an excellent choice.

To be honest..everyone says that...saying it wont cut it. Lead by example and be a model member of the forum.

Lol, am I a model member.

(Don't answer that.)

I'd be a model member if I wasnt so aggressive